The Hamilton Southeastern girls basketball team won the Mudsock trophy over Fishers Friday, Dec. 19 at the Fishers Events Center. The Royals won the game 32-19. (Joshua Herd)
By RICHARD TORRES
For The Reporter
FISHERS – Kennedy Holman knew she was close to 1,000 career points, but she wasn’t keeping count.
Hamilton Southeastern’s Kennedy Holman cleared 1,000 career points and scored 16 to help the Royals win the Mudsock game. (Joshua Herd)
Instead, the Hamilton Southeastern senior remained oblivious, and it was exactly what she wanted Friday, Dec. 19 inside the Fishers Event Center.
Sitting at 989 career points before Class 4A No. 8 HSE tipped off against 4A Fishers for their annual Mudsock rivalry game, Holman buried a 3-pointer at the top of the key for the night’s first points.
Sixteen minutes later, the University of Florida commit cleared her mark.
With a 3-pointer to open the second half, Holman sparked a 10-0 run and simultaneously joined the 1,000-point club en route to a game-high 16 points and a 32-19 HSE victory.
“I didn’t look at how many points I needed, and I told everybody not to tell me because I didn’t want to worry about it,” Holman confessed after becoming the 10th girls player in HSE history to reach 1,000 points. “I just wanted to play my game.”
Holman had nine points by halftime, but her 12th – and 1,001st in her career – to start the third quarter turned a nip-and-tuck contest into a lopsided finale.
The Royals trailed 6-5 in the first quarter before a Holman layup gave HSE a 7-6 lead heading into the second.
Back-to-back steals and transition baskets by Holman in the second quarter pushed HSE’s lead to 11-8 after falling behind 8-7.
Her second 3-pointer in the game catapulted the Royals to a 24-11 advantage by the start of the fourth quarter.
“It’s been a huge milestone of mine, so just to be able to celebrate that with my team at this big arena means a lot to me,” said Holman, who now has 1,005 points. “I’ve actually not been shooting the best with my three, so hitting those to get to 1,000 felt good.”
The win was just as sweet for HSE (10-2, 5-0 HCC), which extended its streak to four straight against its top Hoosier Crossroads Conference and county rival.
Fishers’ Makayla Triplett looks to pass the ball. (Joshua Herd)
Fishers’ (6-7, 0-4 HCC) last win against HSE was during the 2022-23 season when the Tigers swept both the regular-season and postseason meetings.
“Defense allowed us to get going along with Kennedy hitting those threes, which was key,” HSE coach Brian Satterfield said. “It’s a rivalry, and it’s always fun when you get that win, but that’s one game. Now, we’re on to the next one, and we could face them again in tournament time.” Currently, the Royals continue to own the series, holding an 18-12 record against Fishers since 2006.
HSE senior Kayla Stidham, a Bowling Green commit, finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds, including seven points in the second half. Sophomore Piper Brinley hauled in eight rebounds with two points.
Holman supplied eight rebounds and four steals, in addition to two assists, which draws her 11 closer to a potential school record.
“It’s been special for me to coach her for four years. What she brings to the table, seeing her get that mark with 1,000 points is special,” Satterfield said. “She’s truly special because of what she does at both ends of the floor.”
Collectively, the Royals clamped down on the Tigers in the second half, holding them to 11 points and no more than eight points in a single quarter throughout.
A rough shooting first half for HSE kept the game in question early until defense fueled a 19-point final 16 minutes.
“We really focused on a good start, getting stops, and I think during the second half, we did that a lot better,” Holman said. “We did start off slow again, but we’re continuing to get better.”
Sophomore Reagan Reiff and junior Lillian Burns led the Tigers with five points each, followed by senior Natalie Thomas’ three points.
HSE’s largest lead was 15 points, 23-8, when Stidham capped the Royals’ decisive run with a 3-pointer at the midway point of the third.
Holman shot 7 of 16 from the field and 2 of 4 from 3-point range overall.
“Just knowing that my teammates trust me to get those points and score when they need me, means a lot,” Holman said. “Just knowing they always have my back is what I always need.”
